Of Vampires & Spies
by SMK KMS
Summary: Can Lee and Amanda's story compete with fictional vampires and werewolves? You bet! And Amanda is out to prove it.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimers: The characters in this story are copyrighted by Warner Brothers and Shoot the Moon Productions. The books referenced are the property of Stephanie Meyer. I make no money from these characters; I simply like to share their world for a short time.

A/N Everyone is still talking about the incredible love story told in the TWILIGHT saga. I've read them, and yes, it is a good love story. But it's fiction. Lee and Amanda's story is much better. After all, real life is always better than fiction, right? (wink, wink) A special thanks to Bruce Boxleitner and Kate Jackson—as well as the rest of the cast—for portraying these characters so wonderfully.

2005

Fifteen-year-old Jennifer Leigh Stetson came bounding down the stairs of 4247 Maplewood Drive. When she reached the kitchen, she gave her mother a hug, picked up a plate of fresh pancakes from her grandmother, and proceeded to sit at the table. In between gulps of ice cold milk and huge bites of blueberry heaven, she shyly asked her mother if she could have a ride to the bookstore after school that afternoon.

"You're lucky I have the day off, honey. Fortunately your dad doesn't need me today; things are a little slow because of the holiday—seems even the 'spies' are taking a holiday break this year. And Grandpa Kurt has agreed to spare your grandmother to help with some of the holiday preparations. By the way, since when are you interested in the bookstore? You know I've always tried to get you to read—something in which you've just never had an interest. Your brother Jaime has always loved to read, but you, Phillip, and Matthew . . . Why the sudden interest, anyway? Not that I'm complaining, mind you. Books are a wonderful window to the world; you can learn so much from them. But they are expensive. If you're thinking about purchasing something, you know you're going to need cash." Amanda managed to say that all in one breath; Jennifer couldn't imagine how she did it!

"Don't worry, Mom. Dad expressed the same surprise last night when I mentioned the bookstore to him. Since he knows my past relationship with books, he decided to encourage my new-found interest by slipping me a little extra cash," Jennifer grinned.

Dotty cast a knowing look at her daughter. Jennifer certainly did have her dad wrapped around her little finger! Being the only girl, she was her daddy's special pride and joy.

"What's so special at the bookstore anyway, honey?" Amanda asked as she put some water on to boil for tea. "Do you have a school project due?"

"No, there's a book I really want to read, and there's a waiting list a mile long at the library. All the girls at school either have read it or are 'dying' to read it. It's apparently the most incredible love story ever," replied Jennifer.

Amanda silently rolled her eyes. I'm definitely a romantic, she thought, but it was her opinion that no 'fiction' story could compare to her own story with the love of her life, Lee. But . . . if it would get her darling daughter to read . . . how could she say no?

"All right, Jenny. Since it's Friday, and you have the entire weekend for homework, I guess I can drive you. Why don't I just pick you up at school, as it's on the way?"

"Thanks, Mom."

At this point, Matthew finally wandered into the kitchen, grabbing a glass of milk. Just like his father, Amanda quipped; the Stetson men just didn't 'do' breakfast.

"Hurry up, you two," encouraged Dotty. "You're going to miss your bus!"

Once the twins had successfully made the dash for their bus, Amanda and Dotty sat down to enjoy their own breakfast.

"She's certainly growing up," exclaimed Dotty. "It seems like just yesterday that I was reading THE HUNGRY CATEPILLAR to her. Now she wants to read romance novels. Not that there's anything wrong with a good romance novel. Heaven knows I've read my share, but she's only 15. And some of the scenes in those books—Oh, Amanda, do you really think she should be reading things like that at her age?"

"Don't worry, Mother. I plan on checking everything out BEFORE I pick her up at school this afternoon. Thank goodness for the Internet."

After the breakfast dishes were done and the kitchen cleaned up, Amanda sat down at the computer in the den. Where do I even begin, she wondered, as she realized that she didn't even know the title or author of the book. Oh well, she thought, let's just GOOGLE the best sellers' list and see what pops up.

Looks like this might be it, Amanda thought, as she scanned the search results. It mentioned that it was written primarily for teens and young adults and did not contain any of those 'scenes' her mother had been referring to. If that was the case, she guessed she would have to approve the purchase for Jenny. Amanda was planning, however, to do a little more checking AND make sure she read the book herself.

When Amanda and Jenny returned from the bookstore that afternoon, Jenny went right up to her room to begin reading. She had to be persuaded to put the book down long enough to gulp down her dinner, then immediately retreated upstairs again to continue the story. Her brother even commented about the unusual behavior.

"Now don't tease your sister," Lee reminded him. "After all, I've seen all three of my boys with their noses buried in books or magazines at one time or another. If it's something that's interesting to her, let her be," he emphasized.

Matthew's "Yes, Dad" echoed in the dining room.

"Just what is Jenny reading?" Lee questioned as he and Amanda were getting ready for bed that evening. "I know she's becoming quite the young lady, but I still worry about her. And I tend to agree with Matthew. It is quite unusual for Jenny to be that interested in the written word."

"May I remind you, darling, that 'you' gave her the extra money last night," Amanda gently chided him.

Lee flashed her a dimpled grin, took her into his arms, and kissed her soundly. "I know. Sorry. But I just couldn't say no to my baby girl. Plus, I knew you would check everything out. You always do. What would I do without you?"

"You're incorrigible, Mr. Stetson," she said as she swatted him on the chest. "And, yes, I did check the book out. It's on the best sellers' list for teens and young adults. I read the reviews, and I plan on reading the book—as soon as Jenny will let it out of her sight for more than two minutes, that is!"

"I knew I could count on you, Mrs. Stetson," he replied, as they settled in for the night.

Saturday morning breakfast was a repeat of last night's meal, except this time Jenny brought the book with her to the table. She just couldn't seem to put it down.

"I should have known," Matthew said as he looked at the title. "I sure wish Phillip and Jaime were still living here. Dad, we're outnumbered! I thought I only had to put up with that silly book at school. Now it's here, too. And it's so stupid. There are no such things as vampires. And no one is as good looking and perfect as the main character. Why do all the girls have to swoon over some stupid character in some stupid book? I don't think I'll ever understand females."

Lee just shook his head. Matthew could produce almost as good a ramble as his mother when he got started! "I hate to burst your bubble, son, but I don't think any male will EVER fully understand the female of the species. You will learn, however, that it can be fun trying," he said as he winked at his wife.

"But really, Dad . . . Does every girl on the planet have to read this book and drool over some vampire?" complained Matt.

"I think," commented Amanda, "that you're just hoping to have a girl look at you that way some day."

Jenny stirred from her book at that statement. "Yeah, he's just jealous. Kate won't even talk to him, and they have most of their classes together. He just walks around like a love-sick puppy. Boy does he have a crush on her!"

"Now honey, you just have to be patient. Why don't you try flashing her that famous Stetson smile? You know, that's a big part of how your father hooked me," Amanda said.

"Ahh, Mom. Can we change the subject, please?" replied Matthew.

"I'll let it drop-for now," she said—with a nod to her husband that said they would talk about it later in private.

After breakfast, the entire Stetson household took off in opposite directions for their Saturday activities. Amanda had a mountain of holiday baking to do, so her day was spent in the kitchen, while Lee and Matthew went off to do some Christmas shopping. Times had certainly changed. Lee actually enjoyed Christmas shopping with his son, and he hadn't purchased a single scarf for at least fifteen years! Jenny, of course, retreated to her room with book in hand.

By lunch the next day, Jenny was debating options for her Sunday afternoon. She really wanted to go ice skating with her friends, but the book was just too good to put down! Amanda could sense her frustration, and simply told her that, while she was impressed with Jenny's new-found interest in reading, her friends were more important. As a horn sounded outside a mere half-hour later, Jenny kissed her mother goodbye and raced outside to the waiting car. Who knows, she thought, perhaps I'll meet my 'vampire' at the rink? Or better yet, maybe Steven will be there.

When Amanda finished the lunch dishes, she decided to take a big mug of hot chocolate and the book and settle on the couch for an afternoon of peace and quiet. After all, it had been quite a while since she had time for such a luxury. If any of her family so much as set foot in the den—well, she 'was' anxious to practice some of those new self-defense moves that Dr. Pain had taught her.

As Amanda and Lee were getting ready for bed that night, the conversation turned to the book.

"How did you enjoy your quiet time this afternoon?" Lee asked with a smile. "I know you don't get much time to yourself, so I figured I'd just let you relax. Are you enjoying the book as much as Jenny is?"

"Well, I'm only about a third of the way through it. I can see why all the girls are enthralled, but it's a fantasy story, nothing more. Vampires, really? Now if they were talking about KGB agents, then maybe it wouldn't seem so strange." She gave him a quick, knowing look. "I'll reserve my final judgment until I've finished the book, but I just can't see it getting my endorsement as the best love story ever," replied Amanda. "Check back with me in a day or two."

"I'll be sure to do that, Mrs. Stetson," he replied as he gave her a heart-stopping goodnight kiss.

The next week passed in a blur for everyone in the Stetson household. As things at the Agency were light, Amanda had some extra time off for all the holiday preparations. She also found time to finish the book while Jenny was off at school.

Jenny, on the other hand, was having trouble finding time to read! Between school, homework, Christmas shopping with friends, and helping her mother and grandmother with the preparations she was lucky if she had an hour each evening to read. But that hour, right before bed, was just what she needed. Oh, to have someone care for you and love you like that. And he was such a gentleman! She fell asleep each night with a contented smile on her face.

At breakfast, two days before Christmas, Jenny proudly announced that she had finished the book—no small feat for her. While she was, indeed, proud, she was also a little bit sad. "Why did that wonderful story have to end so soon? I just wanted it to continue on forever and ever," she complained.

"Well, darling, it is just a story," her mother replied. "If it's that popular, perhaps the author will write a sequel."

"Please, Mom," complained Matthew. "One book is bad enough. How can you even think such a thing?"

"You're just jealous again," said Jenny. "You have to go a whole two weeks without seeing Kate at school because of the holiday vacation. How will you ever survive?" she teased.

"Quit picking on your brother," admonished Lee. "At least his crush is real and not a character in a book. Besides, I'm sure there's a special boy in one of your classes, isn't there?" he asked.

"Yeah . . . his name's Steven, and he's in her English and History classes," tattled Matthew.

With that statement, the verbal fight erupted between the twins. It seemed to Lee and Amanda that World War III had started on Maplewood Drive.

"Oh my gosh! It's only two days till Christmas. Can we please practice a little 'Peace on Earth, Good will toward men—and siblings right now?" Amanda demanded.

"Hey, let's settle this with a friendly game of Monopoly," suggested Lee. "We haven't had a family game day in ages. Everyone's off from school and work, so it's time for some serious Stetson bonding."

Amanda just shook her head as she reached for the game on the top shelf of the closet. My oh my how Scarecrow had changed since she had met him at the train station all those years ago.

As Lee and Amanda were doing the dinner dishes that evening, Amanda blurted out "Do you trust me?"

"Now where did that come from?" questioned Lee. "And why did you have to ask? You know I told Harry a long time ago that I would follow you blind through a blizzard at midnight."

"I know, dear. But I'm referring to a much more difficult problem than avoiding Soviet agents. I'm talking about dealing with the epic battle we witnessed this morning between the twins. I have a plan in mind for settling this war AND putting the whole vampire thing to rest. With everyone coming over for the holiday . . . I'm thinking of giving the entire West/King/Stetson family a little history lesson," replied Amanda. "But it will involve telling everyone a little more about The Agency and some of our cases. I do think, though, that it's time for everyone to hear a little more of our true story, don't you agree?"

"Whatever you say, Mrs. Stetson," he replied with a kiss and a smile that still made her weak in the knees.

"Then just follow my lead, Mr. Stetson. At some point in the next few days, when the timing is right, we're going to have a truce in this household. And there will be no further 'bloodshed'—or talk of vampires."

Christmas Eve and Christmas morning passed quickly and pleasantly for the residents of 4247 Maplewood Drive. It was a full house for Christmas dinner, as Phillip and his wife Corinna, Jaime and his wife Nicole, Dotty and Grandpa Kurt, Billy and Jeannie, and Francine and Jonathan joined the Stetsons for a festive meal.

"What a wonderful meal, as always Amanda. Thanks for much for having us. Since the girls and their families are in California and Texas now, it's just not practical to get everyone together except over the summer when the grandkids are out of school. You're lucky to have your boys so close," Billy said as everyone settled into the family room with their coffee and desserts.

"I second that," commented Francine. "We really don't have much family left anymore. It's so incredible to be included in the Stetson clan."

"Yeah," laughed Lee. "Who would have thought, all those years ago, that this unorthodox mix would become so close."

Oh, Lee, you have no idea what you just started, thought Amanda! She had been trying to figure out a way to steer the conversation toward topics from the book Jenny had been reading. This opening was perfect.

"It just certainly proves that 'family' doesn't need to be blood-related, right? As long as people truly care about one another—that's the important part. And exactly what real life is about, and real life can be just as incredible as the best fiction," she said as she pointedly looked at Jenny.

"What, Mom? All I said last week was that it was really cool how these totally unrelated people from different time periods formed a loving family in the book I was reading," defended Jenny.

"Jeannie and I are from a different time period, right honey," commented Billy. "Some people seem to think I'm from the age of the dinosaurs!"

"If you and Jeannie are from the dinosaur age, what does that make Grandpa Kurt and me—positively prehistoric?" quipped Dotty, amid much laughter.

"I know I, for one, can't keep up with everything you teenagers do," Francine interjected.

"You can't? Even I can't, and I'm not that much older than these two squirts," added Jaime.

Everyone but the twins shook their heads in agreement!

"Ok, I get the point. But you've read the book, Mom. You can't deny the love that brought them together. Even though he fought his feelings at the beginning, he just couldn't stay away from her. He knew he was bad news, what with being a vampire and all. He didn't want her involved with his 'dark' life, even if he was one of the good guys. He didn't want her to be hurt. He put his feelings for her safety above his love. I don't know any human that would have the strength to do that," Jenny explained.

Billy quickly glanced at Lee, smiled, then started to tell a particularly familiar story. "Jenny, let me tell you a little story about one of our agents a few years back. When he was in deep trouble one day, it seems he enlisted the help of a civilian. That civilian saved his neck on that case and many, many more before he finally admitted to himself that he had found a partner. Oh, he tried to push the partner away. In fact I can still remember the look on his face when I would pair them up; he acted like it was the end of the world. Sound like anyone you know, Scarecrow?"

"Now come on, Billy. I kept trying to push that civilian away so she wouldn't get hurt. The spy business can be nasty, and you know it. Yeah, we're the good guys, but that doesn't mean we always win. It doesn't mean that we don't suffer our share of injuries, even casualties. I didn't want a civilian to have to face the dark side of this business," replied Lee.

"And you're sure it had nothing to do with the fact that you were falling in love with this civilian," questioned Francine. "Come on, Lee, everyone in the bullpen could see it. As much as you fought those feelings, you just couldn't stay away from her, could you?"

"No, I guess I couldn't. And just remember how it turned out," he said as he shook his head. Guess I'm really going to have to trust not only Amanda but everyone in my 'family' today, he thought, as he tried to hide the big grin that was beginning to form on his face.

"Dad, how could you?" exclaimed Matthew. "What about Mom? Is this really something we should be discussing in front of her? Did she know?"

Amanda just couldn't keep quiet any longer. She turned to Matthew and just shook her head, trying to hide a smile. "Well, I eventually did find out about your dad's feelings towards this civilian—although it took me a few years to get him to admit it."

At this point, everyone in the room started to chuckle—except Matthew and Jenny, that is. They just sat there in shock. How could their entire family think this was funny?

Jenny caught on to the joke first. "The civilian was Mom, wasn't it?" she exclaimed.

"One and the same," replied her dad. "I was trying to keep your mom safe. In fact, I was just trying to keep your grandma, Phillip, and Jaime safe too. Once we realized we loved each other . . ."

His comments were cut short by a playful slap on the chest from his adoring wife. "Yeah, once 'you' realized it. Took you long enough, big fella! Seems like the whole world knew how you felt way before you were willing to admit it, even to yourself."

"Just how many times do I have to apologize for that, sweetheart?" Lee hung his head. "I was afraid of my feelings, afraid of losing someone else that I loved."

"Well, you sure took your good old time letting the rest of us in on it," commented Dotty. "Weren't you married at least six months before you left us in on 'that' little secret? At that point you had known each other for almost four years. And Amanda—you had been a spy for all that time, too. Why all the secrets?"

"They were just trying to keep you safe, Dotty," interjected Billy.

"And they didn't think we could handle it, right Wormbrain," stated Phillip.

"Don't call your brother Wormbrain," Amanda and Lee said in unison. Some things never changed!

"I think what Phillip meant is that we were just getting to know Lee. To have him become a part of the family that quickly would have been, well, just weird. And we were a little young to know about The Agency," defended Jaime.

"Yeah, Jenny and I only found out about Mom and Dad's real job two years ago when we became teenagers," added Matt.

"But all the secrets eventually did come out into the open. And just look at the wonderful 'family' we now have. Quite a blending of personalities, jobs, etc., right fellas? You could even say it's a little like good fiction," hinted Amanda. "Or maybe fiction is a lot like us."

"Really, Mom. You're making your point loud and clear. But my book still has lots of special points," Jenny complained.

"Like what?" Lee decided to play along with his wife's little game.

"Well, how about super-human powers. I don't think anyone in this family possesses anything remotely resembling those," replied Jenny.

"I don't know about that," interjected Francine. "I seem to remember reminding your mom that she shouldn't expect your dad to come riding in on a white horse and rescue us from that Marvelous Marvin's freezer. So what happened? In comes your dad to rescue us—just in the nick of time. No white horse, but still pretty impressive. And that's just one case. I know there were lots of other times, too, right Billy?"

"Absolutely, Francine. There were a few times that Amanda came charging in to save the day for Lee, too. Your dad hasn't cornered the market on the super-human powers in this family, you know," Billy said, looking at Jenny.

"Man, you're just not going to cut me a break, are you," Jenny commented to the entire group. "Ok, how about this one. The main character comes from an earlier time period—a period when manners and chivalry were extremely important. He holds the door for his love and showers her with all sorts of special attention."

Corinna quickly spoke up. "That's one of the first things that attracted me to Phillip. He was always holding the door open for me—including the car door. He 'ushers' me into a room with a hand on the small of my back. He holds my hand every chance he gets, and he even kisses it at times. If that isn't old-fashioned chivalry, I don't know what is."

Nicole was the first to agree. "Jaime does the same types of things. It's really cool. When we first started dating, all my girlfriends were sooo jealous!"

"And just where did you learn to do those special things, fellas?" asked Amanda with a knowing smile on her face.

"Lee," the boys replied in unison, as Scarecrow's face turned bright red. A wide grin spread across his face quickly, however, as he realized the compliment his stepsons had paid him.

"One of the first things that drew me to your dad, honey, was his manners. Even from the start, he treated me like royalty. He might have said otherwise, but his actions spoke volumes," commented Amanda. "My heart still skips a beat or two when he kisses my hand." Now it was her turn to blush!

Even Dotty agreed. "The first time I met your dad—officially, that is—he just WOW'd me with his politeness and attentiveness. Of course that dimpled Stetson smile didn't hurt, either," she joked.

"Are you ready to give up yet, Jenny?" questioned Amanda.

Her reply of "No way" was rather emphatic. "What about the way he comes in and rescues her from the bad guys that had captured her? I know we've talked about Dad coming to the rescue, but nothing could be as romantic as the rescue in the book. She was wounded. He had to control his emotions, fight off the most menacing vampire of them all, and save the day." A dreamy look came over Jenny's face as she recounted the tale.

"Did I ever tell you exactly when and where I proposed to your mom?" asked Lee, as he steeled himself to bring some of those horrible nightmares back to conscious thought.

"If I remember right, Amanda said it was right after a case, in the office at work," commented Dotty. "Not very romantic, if you ask me." Heads all across the room nodded in agreement.

"It was right after the Adi Birol case, wasn't it, Lee," questioned Billy.

"Not exactly," corrected Amanda, "it was in the _middle_ of the Adi Birol case."

"Do tell," pressed Francine. "You know I just love all the juicy details!"

Lee took a deep breath. I guess here's where we throw 'need to know' out the window. Billy gave him an almost imperceptible nod of approval. Since the case was over fifteen years ago and this was 'family,' he decided to spare no details as he began the story . . .

"Amanda and I were working an extremely important case. She wasn't supposed to be in any danger. When she saved my life by alerting me to a shooter, however, she identified herself as an agent—an agent that could be used to get to me. And she was kidnapped by one very bad guy." Amanda began to stare at the floor; Lee had always unjustly blamed himself.

"During her kidnapping, she was tortured extensively. Now calm down, boys," he said as Phillip and Jaime gasped. "The torture wasn't really physical; it was more psychological. She suffered sleep deprivation mainly, which caused hallucinations. He was also trying to get her to give up the name of an informant, so he was relentlessly questioning her—in a not-so-nice manner. Since she didn't know the name of the informant, it was extremely rough on her. But she never broke," he said as he smiled at his wife.

Amanda decided it was her turn to add to the tale. "Every time he would come into the room to question me, I would think it was Lee coming to rescue me. I guess that was actually a good thing, because my hallucination kept telling me to hold on. He kept saying that he was coming for me—and I believed him beyond a shadow of a doubt."

Lee picked up from there. "I was going out of my mind with worry. I even came to the house here, just to feel close to Amanda. I could actually 'see' her here, hear her tell me that she was alright. Guess I was having my own hallucinations. That's why I was so distracted that day, Dotty, do you remember?"

"I do," she replied. "It just seemed so strange, having you stop by when I had never really met you before. And your behavior was a little odd. But then, with my daughter's odd behavior, especially regarding her job, I guess odd just seemed normal," she shrugged.

Lee continued. "I even enlisted the help of some of my Agency 'family' to try to get Amanda back, right Francine?"

"You bet! And I was more than happy to help. What?" Francine commented, as Lee gave her a questioning look. "I really didn't want to see Amanda hurt. And I knew you would be devastated if something happened to her. I didn't know just how far your relationship had progressed, but there was definitely something there—a major something! It was a horrible blow when you were captured, too."

"When Lee was thrown into the room with me, I thought he was just another hallucination," continued Amanda.

"I had to really work to convince Amanda that I was really there. It took several minutes for her to finally believe that I was real." Lee picked up the story from there.

"Birol gave me an hour to write down the list of all my informants and assets. Before I could even consider doing that, however, I had to calm down Amanda—and myself. I was really worried this time. As we said to each other, we might not make it out of this one. That's when I decided that there was no time like the present. I just couldn't let it all end without asking the most important question of my/our lives. Amanda King . . ."

"You are the bravest, smartest, most beautiful woman in the world. Will you marry me?" Lee and Amanda said together as they looked into each other's eyes.

"I had purchased the ring several weeks prior, but I was waiting for the right time. After she said yes, we decided we were two of the luckiest people in the world. Of course we were brought back to reality pretty quickly, but the moment was unforgettable. Lucky for us Francine called in the troops, including Billy, and the rescue went fairly smoothly. Birol was locked up, and once the ZAP gas wore off, well . . . Everyone thinks I popped the question the next day back in the Q Bureau, but . . . "

"It might not have been the most romantic setting, but I knew without a doubt that he meant every word of what he said. I mean, who can look into those hazel eyes and not just melt," Amanda said with a huge smile on her face. "And he stayed with me every step of the way on the road to recovery. Just like he always does."

"Ok," Jenny said with a grin. "I get the picture. The rescue in the book isn't as romantic as yours. I concede on that point. The proposal is what is putting it over the top, I guess. But . . .

"But what, honey," asked Lee.

"But they were in love from the start. At least he was. He was drawn to her in an amazing, unexplainable way. It's like they were soulmates," she replied with a dreamy look in her eyes.

Lee looked at everyone there and began to address the entire room. "You've all heard the story of how we met, right?" Everyone shook their heads up and down slowly. Was there something more to the story that they didn't know? "When I was looking for someone to help me at the train station that day, I picked Amanda out of the crowd. Why Amanda? I've asked myself that question thousands of times over the years. Do you want to know why? I think it is because we are soulmates. Somehow, deep down, I recognized that—even before I talked to her. When she looked at me and said 'What is it you want me to do?' the feeling was confirmed in her eyes."

"And I agree," added Amanda. "When I looked into his eyes that day, I felt like I was looking into my own core. And that's what a soulmate is—an extension of yourself."

They both looked into each other's eyes at that moment, and the entire room could see that what they said was indeed true.

"Too bad it took you three years to finally admit it," chuckled Billy. "You know I did what I could by throwing you together on cases every chance I got. Felt like I was Cupid or something."

"He would come home at least once a week with a tale involving the two of you. We both knew it was just a matter of time," Jeannie said with a laugh.

"Thanks for letting me in on it," commented Francine sarcastically. "Although I think that deep down I knew. I just didn't think the great Scarecrow would ever settle down."

"Just like the guy in the book," said Jenny as a smile spread across her face. "His entire family thought he would be alone forever."

"Now you understand," said her mom. "Are you ready to concede that real life can be just as fascinating and romantic as a book?"

"She might admit that fact, but she'll never admit that she likes Steve," teased Matthew.

"And you'll never admit to having a crush on Kate, either, so there," Jenny said as she stuck her tongue out at her twin.

"Can I offer up some 'big brother' advice to you, Matthew?" asked Jaime. Matthew nodded in agreement; after all, Jaime was going to give him the advice anyway. "Give some of those chivalrous manners a try. Open a door or two for Kate. Listen—really LISTEN—to her when she talks. Offer to help her with her books. Walk her to her next class, to her locker, and to her bus after school. Simply pay attention to her, and let her know that you think she's special."

"Girls love stuff like that," added Nicole. "And flash her that Stetson smile; it can't hurt!"

It was Francine's turn. "Jenny, I'd like to give you some advice of my own—girl to girl. While I know you're a very bright, clever young lady, don't forget that men like to think they have the superior intelligence."

At that comment, all of the women in the room groaned.

"Francine! Are you suggesting that she play dumb?" asked a surprised Amanda.

"Now hold on Amanda, that's not what I mean at all," defended Francine. "I just mean that men want someone that is their equal. They don't want someone that thinks they're better. When I started at the agency—and in fact for many years of my career—I was treated like a second class agent simply because I was female." She cast a knowing look at Lee when she said that last statement.

"I'm sorry, Francine," he apologized.

"Lee, will you please stop apologizing for things you didn't do," groaned Francine. "You were probably the only agent that DIDN'T treat me differently because I was a female. You and Billy were always the ones that looked past my gender and saw me for the good agent that I was. But I brought some of it on myself, I'll admit. I was always trying to prove that I was better than the men, when all I should have been doing was proving that I was as good or equal to them."

She turned her attention back to Jenny. "What I'm trying to say is be yourself. Don't go trying to impress Steve—or any boy—with your looks, intelligence, or anything else. Be yourself. Let them see you for a human being. The harder you try to impress, the less likely you are to get them to see you for who you are."

"Wow, thanks Aunt Francine," said Jenny. "And you want to know something? That's exactly what the girl in the book did. She was just herself. And it worked!"

"I was myself with your father, too. While I never held back my ideas, I didn't rub his face in my successes. In fact, I simply let him realize on his own what great contributions I was making to the cases we were working," Amanda added.

"You did indeed," replied Lee. "Even if it took me a while. Sometimes I think you should have hit me over the head or something to get me to recognize your abilities," he laughed.

"You did have your head in the sand at times, Scarecrow . . . too many times," chuckled Billy. "Luckily you came around."

"Just look around you," Grandpa Kurt addressed the twins. "There's close to one hundred years of wedded happiness in this room. More if you count the wonderful years I had with my first wife and your grandma had with your real grandpa. We might not have made it into a fancy romance novel, but what we have is better. We have the real thing. Right, Dotty?"

"Absolutely," Dotty said, and punctuated it with a kiss on his cheek.

"See what you've started," complained Matthew as he looked at his sister. "Now they've gone all mushy on us!"

"Aww, you'll get over it," chided his mother. "Just wait till you have a steady girlfriend. Then you'll understand the 'mushy' part a lot better."

"And you will learn to enjoy the 'mush,'" commented his father with a wink.

"Well, I think I've learned my lesson about romance stories—at least for now. If the author does write a sequel, though, I bet it will top this family's real life," Jennifer defended.

"We'll see," said Corinna. "While I may be fairly new to this family, I do know that there's a whole lot that's special about it. It's certainly not the 'typical' family—in any respect. I'm just extremely glad that I'm part of all the love." With that, she gave her husband an exceptionally long kiss.

All the couples followed suit, one by one.

"Enough with the kissing," exclaimed Jenny and Matthew together.

"Can we please change the subject?" groused Matthew.

With that, talk turned to everyone's plans for the coming week and various parties on New Year's Eve. All talk of spies and the bad guys would just have to wait until after the holiday season. Both Jenny and Matthew, however, were quiet. Each was contemplating the advice they had been given by their family.

Maybe I will try giving Kate a little of that extra attention, thought Matthew. It certainly can't hurt. Just look at where it got my dad and my brothers.

Jenny was thinking of how she could tone down her interactions with Steve. Perhaps she was trying just a little bit too hard to make an impression. She knew what her New Year's resolution was going to be: Be myself!

As Amanda and Lee were getting ready for bed that evening, Lee reflected on the day's events out loud. "We won that round. Real life is better than fiction, at least in this household. If the author does write a sequel, though, I seriously doubt that we will be able to claim another victory."

"Get ready," replied Amanda smugly. "According to the internet, there's a sequel in the works already. And don't be so sure about that victory. After all, this family is pretty special!"

Lee groaned at the thought. "Oh well," he muttered. "I'm sure my wife will come up with something to counteract the sequel's fantasy world," he said as he smiled at Amanda.

"I wonder if Jenny and Matthew will take any of the advice from today to heart?" he added. "It really was quite an interesting discussion, dear. How did you ever get to be so smart when it comes to raising a family?"

"Oh, I don't know. As I told your uncle many years ago when he suggested that children should come with a manual, it wouldn't be near as much fun if they did. I've learned to just go with my instinct on most things. It's kind of like what I did when this handsome, dashing spy handed me a package at the train station one morning twenty years ago."

"Did I ever tell you how much I love that instinct of yours, Mrs. Stetson," Lee replied.

"Yes you did—many times. Now how about showing me," she said with a smile.


	2. Chapter 2

2006

"Mom, Dad, is it okay if I go to the bookstore tomorrow afternoon with Kate?" asked Jennifer Stetson at dinner Friday night.

Amanda had been expecting the bookstore question for at least a month now—ever since she heard the release date of the sequel to that vampire book. And the girls had become good friends since Matthew and Kate started dating. "I guess it's okay, but exactly how will you be getting there?"

"Kate's mom is going to drive us. Since it's a Saturday, she doesn't have to work," replied Jenny.

"Sure, honey, that's fine. By this time next year, you and your brother will both have your licenses, so I guess I need to get used to you going off on your own. Anything in particular you're looking for at the bookstore," Amanda said while trying to hide her grin.

"Stop it, Mom," she groaned. "I know you've been checking on the Internet. The sequel came out about a week ago, and we're both very anxious to read it. We're actually going to split the cost, and we flipped a coin. Kate gets to read it first, then she'll give it to me. I have to wait a little, but Kate reads really fast! Plus she promised to tell me all about what she reads each night. We have lunch together at school—without Matt—so we can talk about it then."

Amanda was glad that the girls had become good friends; Jenny had always been somewhat of a loner—too much like her dad at times. But what would happen if Matthew and Kate split up? It might be a little awkward for Matthew if Kate was still Jenny's friend. Oh well, no use worrying about something that hadn't happened yet.

"It's just not fair," complained Matt, as he shoveled food into his mouth. Pot roast was his absolute favorite. "The girls get to eat together at school every day. I'm stuck at lunch with pretty much all freshmen. Why did I have to get first lunch, anyway?"

"Look at it this way, son," commented Lee. "At least you won't have to hear all about the book."

"Yeah, thank goodness for small favors. I don't think I could listen about vampires and eat at the same time. Actually, I don't want to hear about vampires at all." Matt's frown told the story all too well.

"You? Not eat? Now that would be something to write a book about," responded Dotty. "You're an eating machine."

Lee couldn't help but comment. "He's just a typical teenage boy, Dotty. I seem to remember trying to eat everything in the mess hall when I was his age. Then I'd go over to Barney's and clean out his refrigerator every evening. It's a wonder Barney didn't kick me out."

"Phillip and Jaime were the same way. Don't you remember when we first got married? I couldn't keep any food in this household," replied Amanda.

"If we were vampires, you wouldn't need to worry about food. Now there's something you can't claim as a victory," added Jenny smugly.

"Can we please change the subject," asked Matt around his mouthful of mashed potatoes. "I'd like to enjoy my meal here."

At that last comment, everyone gave a chuckle, and all thoughts of vampires were temporarily forgotten.

Promptly at one o'clock the following afternoon, a horn sounded outside 4247 Maplewood. Jenny flew out of the door with a "Bye Mom and Dad" shouted back toward the kitchen where Lee and Amanda were just finishing up the lunch dishes.

"Can you believe it? We actually have the house to ourselves. What are we ever going to do with all this peace and quiet?" Lee asked as he winked at his wife.

"I'm sure we can think of something," she replied with a wicked grin on her face. "You know, I was thinking of getting started reading that sequel that I picked up on the way home from the Q Bureau yesterday," she joked.

"That's not the least bit funny," Lee said with a pout as he took his wife in his arms, all thoughts of sequels gone from both their minds.

As Matthew and Jenny were eating breakfast the following Saturday, Amanda asked them about their plans for the weekend.

"Kate and I are going to dinner with Jaime and Nicole tonight, don't you remember? I thought you knew about our plans. Jaime said he talked to you about it earlier in the week. Both he and Nicole thought it would be nice to spend some time with their 'little brother and his girl," exclaimed Matt.

"Plus you get an evening with Kate without having to spend a penny," added Lee knowingly.

Matt just stared into his juice glass. Caught again. How did his dad do it? Guess it was a spy thing.

"That's okay. Kate is just happy to spend time with you—although I don't see what the big attraction is," teased Jenny. "Besides, she promised she would give the book to you tonight so that you can bring it home for me to start reading. She's finished it already."

Matt made a face at his sister. "Why do I have to be the courier," he complained. "I want nothing to do with that book."

"Just consider it a favor to both your girlfriend AND your sister," replied his mother. "And while you're at it, don't forget to thank your brother for dinner. You're lucky to have two big brothers that think you're pretty special, you know."

"I know, Mom," he said as his face began to turn red.

"Since Jaime is picking both of you up this evening, do you think you could drop the book off here before going to dinner? That way I can start reading as soon as possible," exclaimed Jenny.

Matt just shook his head as he finished his juice. Why me, he thought to himself.

"Cheer up, Matt. Hopefully this will be the last of the vampire books—if we're lucky," his father chuckled.

Jenny literally grabbed the book out of Matt's hands and ran up to her room that night. Finally! Although Kate had given her a daily run-down of the plot, it just wasn't the same as reading it herself. And she didn't know how everything turned out; Kate had made a point of not spoiling the ending.

As she read, she kept thinking about how her mother had turned most everything in the first book into something from the West/King/Stetson family. Well, that wasn't going to happen with this book. She was going to make certain of that. After all, she already had the food thing on her side. In fact, I think I'll keep a list, she thought. Let's see how Mom handles this one! After all, she loved a good challenge.

It took Jenny two full weeks to finish the sequel, even though she read every spare minute of her day. Part of it was just trying to make the story last; the other part was making that list of challenges for her mother. She was determined to win this battle!

But just when and where would this battle take place, she wondered. She decided to talk about it with Kate at lunch the next day. Maybe she could enlist some support from her best friend?

"Why don't you come over for dinner tonight? It's Friday, so we won't have homework to worry about," suggested Jenny. "Plus, there's no way my mom has had time to prepare her defense. She couldn't have read the book already!" Jenny had already explained her mom's obsession to prove that their life was better than the book.

"Sounds good to me; I'll just check with my parents. But what about Matthew?"

"Hey, this isn't a date with him. This is about two best friends. Besides, won't it be fun to gang up on him? You know how he just 'loves' vampires," said Jenny.

"It will be kind of fun, won't it? Are you sure it's okay with your folks?"

"I've already asked. See you at 6 for some of my mom's famous homemade lasagna and lots of interesting discussion," Jenny said as she made a quick dash to her next class.

Amanda was just putting the pan of lasagna in the oven when she heard the 'vette pull into the driveway. She had been lucky enough to leave the office a few hours early since the filing was all complete, but Lee had stayed to do some preliminary work on their next assignment—security for an upcoming party at the Russian embassy.

As they kissed hello, Lee commented on the special dinner.

"What's the special occasion? Not that I'm complaining, you understand, but it's not every day that you make your world-famous lasagna," he said as he stole another kiss from the cook.

"Kate's coming to dinner—at Jenny's request, not Matthew's. I think they're both going to hit us with points in the book. I get the sense that they've been planning this ambush since the sequel came out. I'm just hoping that I can succeed and keep my winning streak alive. Two against one—I don't know," responded Amanda.

Lee just hung his head in embarrassment. He hated to admit it to his wife, but he didn't see a way out. "Well, actually, it will be even odds tonight. I kind of read the book too. Hey, I figured both girls would ambush us, and I wanted to give my wife a little support. I was also kind of curious, you know."

Amanda just grinned. The mighty Scarecrow reading a romance novel—now there was something you didn't see every day. There was only one person in the world that could have caused this unprecedented event, and it wasn't her. Ever since her husband had held that little pink bundle in the hospital, she knew that she was no longer the top female in Lee's life. But that was more than okay with her. After all, she had held that spot in 'her' father's heart; it should be the same with Jenny and Lee.

"It's certainly going to be an interesting evening," was all she could manage to say as she hid a big smile.

Dinner conversation that evening was centered around school for the three teenagers, as the adults simply sat back and listened, lost in remembering their own high school days. Dotty and Grandpa Kurt had been invited for the special Italian meal, so all the seats around the table were full.

"I'll just clear the table and bring some of my famous chocolate cake into the family room," suggested Dotty as everyone was finishing up.

Jenny and Kate cast knowing glances at each other. Here goes nothing, they thought as they headed to the couch. The three settled in, with Kate between the twins.

As soon as Dotty had brought everyone dessert, with a little help from Lee and Grandpa Kurt, the girls started their assault.

"Oh no you don't," yelled Matthew, as the word 'vampire' came out of Jenny's mouth. "I do NOT want to talk about that stupid book tonight. This is supposed to be a date, not the giggling girls' book club."

"Excuse me," countered his sister. "I was the one that invited Kate to dinner. The only reason you're here is that you happen to live in this house."

"But she's my girlfriend."

"And she's my best friend."

As the argument became louder and louder, Lee let out an ear-piercing whistle. "Hey, this is supposed to be a nice quiet evening with the Stetson family, not a circus. Let's just say that Kate is our special guest for the evening. After all, you can be both a best friend and a girlfriend tonight, right Kate?"

"Absolutely, Mr. Stetson. It's really easy to be both. After all, Jenny and Matt are two different people, and I have a different relationship with each of them," she replied.

"So it is possible to be both? Just like the girl in the book," Lee exclaimed.

"Not you, too, Dad," complained Jenny. "Since when are you interested in this story? Did Mom put you up to this?"

Amanda just smiled. She couldn't believe her husband had fired the first shot.

As he grinned at the three teenagers on the couch, he responded with "No, she didn't. I read the book myself. And wipe that silly expression off your face, Matthew. I just wanted to see what all the fuss was about and be ready to help your mother defend this family. Fiction is just that, fiction. While it takes us away for a while and allows us to live in a fantasy world, it's the real world that counts, you know. And before you start, I know that in the book she's friends with a guy. Again, Matt, don't look at me like that. You know I have friends that are girls—like Aunt Francine, Aunt Jeannie, your mom, . . .

Matt just couldn't keep quiet anymore! "But Mom is your wife! How can you call her your friend?"

"I am his friend," replied Amanda. "And we were great friends before we started dating. Granted not every friendship turns into marriage, or even dating, but that's how most solid couples start out. You also know I was married to Joe—Phillip and Jaime's dad—before I married your dad. Even though we divorced, we were still friends."

At that statement, Lee had to close his eyes and count to ten; he still had issues with Amanda and Joe's 'friendship,' but this wasn't the time or place to bring that up.

Lee continued. "Think about it, Matthew. Weren't you and Kate friends before you started dating? Isn't she someone you enjoy spending time with? Share interests with? If she isn't, you wouldn't be dating her—at least not seriously. I should know. I dated plenty of women before your mom, and I wasn't friends with any of them. Who did I marry? A friend, that's who."

"Pleeease," sighed Jenny. "Can we move on to the next topic? I can see this one is getting us nowhere! What about how he feels when he thinks she's dead? He just doesn't want to go on with his life. In fact, he almost commits suicide because he can't imagine going on without her."

Lee and Amanda glanced at one another quickly. They were going to have to be careful. Kate didn't—and couldn't—know about the Agency. There were certain things they would discuss with Jenny after Kate left, but in the meantime they would need to be cautious.

Amanda decided to let Lee start. After all, he still reminded her at least weekly that he was the 'senior agent'—although he always did it with a silly grin on his face! With that thought, she took his hand in hers and gave it a gentle squeeze. She also knew what story they 'could' tell, and Lee was much better equipped to tell it than she was.

"Kate," Lee began, "I'm going to tell you a very personal story. The twins have already heard parts of it, but I think you're all mature enough to handle the full version now."

As he began the tale, all three teenagers faced him expectantly. "When we were on our honeymoon, Amanda was shot in a random crime." Matt and Jenny nodded in agreement, as they knew this much of the story; Kate's face became a mask of horror.

"Oh, Mrs. Stetson, I had no idea anything like that ever happened to you," she whispered.

"That's all right, Kate, not too many people do know about it. It's just not something we usually like to discuss," said Amanda gently.

Lee picked up the story. "Luckily, everything turned out okay, but what even Jenny and Matt don't know is that their mother almost died from the gunshot wound to her chest on the way to the hospital. She also 'crashed' at the hospital a day later. She was an extremely lucky lady." All could see that tears were starting to form in his eyes.

"I was faced with the very real possibility that I was going to lose my wife of only a few days. There were many times throughout those first days that I wondered if I could go on if she didn't make it. Not that I would have consciously committed suicide, mind you. But I am sure that I would have done something-or many somethings-to put my life in danger. I certainly wouldn't have become the cautious person that I am today. In fact, I probably would have ended up dead in a car accident or something similar. I'm certain I would have lost the will to go on, just like the vampire in the book. He was going to put himself in a position where others would kill him, correct?" he asked as he looked purposefully at Jenny.

"Yeah, he was," whispered Jenny. She managed to catch Matthew's eye, and they exchanged a silent message. They knew what their dad was referring to with regard to the Agency. He would have made sure that one of the bad guys took him out. Both twins could see where they needed to be cautious with what they actually said in front of Kate.

Glancing at her husband, Amanda knew that the next move was up to her; Jenny and Matt had gotten the silent message. "I'm sure I would have felt the same way if that bullet had hit your dad," she stated. "While I had Phillip, Jaime, and your grandmother, your dad's death still would have been a severe blow to me. I'm sure I would have gone on, but things certainly would have NEVER been the same."

"What about their almost telepathic communication?" questioned Kate. "It's really kind of weird. I mean, I've seen Jenny and Matt communicate silently, but lots of people say that's common with twins. I've never asked, so I don't know if they can do it over a distance."

At this comment, both Jenny and Matt nodded their heads. Matt explained. "Yes, we have been known to communicate silently with each other AND over a distance. Remember, Jenny, when you fell off your horse and broke your arm when you were six? I was with Grandma and Grandpa Kurt, but I knew something was wrong, didn't I, Grandma?"

"You sure did," commented Dotty. "We had a terrible time trying to calm you. We kept trying to tell you that everything was fine, but you kept insisting that your sister was hurt. It wasn't until we gave in and brought you home to see for yourself that we knew you had that type of connection with your sister. Of course, as soon as we pulled into the drive and saw the ambulance, we knew there was a major problem!"

"As soon as I fell and felt the pain, I also felt Matt's presence right there with me, comforting me," added Jenny.

"But these two people aren't related by blood at all. I honestly don't think it could happen in real life," added Kate.

"Are you sure of that? Because I've seen Lee and Amanda do it frequently," Dotty said with a shake of her head.

It was time for Lee to enter into this part of the conversation. "Amanda and I have a special bond. I don't know if I can explain it, but we always seem to know when the other has a problem or needs help. Maybe you can chalk it up to our being soulmates, I don't know. But I do know it exists."

"When I started going into labor with these two, Lee was at work. I didn't want to call him, as I knew it was going to be a while before I needed to head to the hospital. He had a deadline to meet at IFF, so I decided to let him work a little while longer. Not a half hour after the first labor pain, he arrived home. Said he just had a feeling he needed to come check on everything. And it's lucky he did, as you two decided to give us a scare. We barely got to the hospital in time. And the doctor said that if we had waited much longer, we could have lost one or both of you."

"Then there was the time I had those two flat tires on the 'vette during that terrible rain storm last year. Do you remember, Amanda?" questioned Lee. "I somehow managed to blow two tires at the same time—probably ran over something in the road. And, of course, it was during a thunder and lightning storm on a back road. Somehow Amanda knew something was wrong and managed to find me, even though she had no real knowledge of where I was. She even called for a tow truck before she left the house." Lee made sure he made eye contact with the twins on this one. They knew, of course, that he hadn't run over something in the road; the tires had been shot out by one of the bad guys. And the 'tow truck' that was called was their Uncle Billy and the cavalry—aka backup. They also knew that their mother had indeed used her connection to their dad to realize he was in trouble and locate him with very little to go on.

"The only explanation I have on that one," said Amanda, "is that unexplained connection we have. Somehow I just knew."

"I, for one, have seen their connection many, many times, "said Dotty, shaking her head. "Whether they're in the same room or just the same country, they certainly have something extra special."

Matt had simply been listening. As he had said many times, vampires didn't interest him at all. It was fun, though, to see his sister and his girlfriend going down in defeat. He was also anxious to hear more from his parents on some of these subjects—something he knew they couldn't do as long as Kate was there. He was kind of glad when his grandma suggested they head for home and drop Kate off at her house on the way. After all, it was getting rather late, and he would see Kate tomorrow at the football game.

As everyone said their goodbyes, Kate and Jenny had a few minutes to exchange their thoughts. They both agreed that, just maybe, Jenny's parents had a few good points. But they weren't about to admit defeat! They were really going to have to discuss strategy for the next sequel, if there was one!

Once Dotty, Kurt, and Kate had left, Lee called a Stetson family meeting. "Thanks for your help this evening." As he looked at Matt and Jenny, he added, "I was relieved that you two picked up on some of the 'finer' points of what your mom and I were saying. You know we need to be careful what we say around others."

"Don't worry, Dad. We know. We would never do or say anything to give the secrets of this family away," Matt assured his dad. "It's weird, but I enjoy being able to talk about things without talking about things, if you know what I mean."

Oh no, thought Amanda. He's starting to think like a spy. That's not a good sign! She had spent too many years deciphering code and double-talk at the Agency not to recognize what Matt was implying.

"I know you do, son. And from the looks you and your sister gave me, I realize you got the point about it being difficult to continue if something happened to your mother."

"Would you really have left one of the bad guys kill you?" asked Jenny with a look of horror on her face.

"Probably not consciously," replied her dad. "But before your mom came into my life, I was known for taking unnecessary risks. Just ask Uncle Billy. Your mom seemed to have a calming effect on me. She made me realize that I could still do my job but think things through before I took those risks. I think she literally forced brains into the 'Scarecrow.' Without her, I just don't know . . ."

It was time for Amanda to speak. "If you want my honest opinion, I think your dad wouldn't have lasted long in the field. I'm not saying that I keep him safe, although I do enjoy watching his back." She smiled at her husband. "But I do know him well, and I'm fairly certain that he would have taken more and more risks until his luck ran out. After all, that's where he was headed before we met. Uncle Billy's told me on more than one occasion that I saved your dad's life by taking that package from him at the train station that day."

"That certainly is in keeping with the book," commented Jenny. This wasn't getting any easier, she sighed.

"I would have been in serious trouble, too, if something had happened to your dad. My days in the field would have been over, because I couldn't even think of working with another partner. I would have been safe in that sense. And I did have your grandmother and Phillip and Jamie. I wouldn't have died in the physical sense—not like your dad might have. Emotionally, however, it would have been a different story."

Amanda continued. "There was also a time, early on, when your father—with Uncle Billy's help—faked his own death. It was an attempt to lure the bad guys out and get them to drop their guard. We had only met a few months prior; we certainly hadn't fallen in love yet. We weren't even all that close as friends. But I do know how I felt. It was like the rug had been pulled out from under me. Talk to your grandmother about it. She was ready to put me in therapy, and she didn't even know what had happened. I can certainly relate to how the main character felt when he thought his love was dead; I've been through it in real life. It sure was a pleasant surprise when your dad came and knocked on my kitchen window-after my heart started beating again, of course. Your Aunt Francine was livid with your dad and Uncle Billy about that one."

"She certainly was," chuckled Lee. "It wasn't something I wanted to do, but it was necessary to the case. Once your mom and I became closer, I knew I could never do that to your mom again, no matter what the case necessitated. There were also too many times that your mom thought I truly might be dead. And there were a few times I thought she had certainly died. The mind can play cruel tricks on you in those situations. It can make you do foolish things, things that might even put your own life in danger. I pray that you two will never have to go through anything like it in your lives."

"Amen to that," whispered Amanda.

With that statement, Matt produced a very large yawn. "I think I'm ready for bed," he stated. "That's enough vampires for one night."

"Aw, just for one night? You mean we can talk about them again tomorrow?" questioned his sister.

"NO! In fact, I hope we never have to talk about them ever again," he stated emphatically. "But I know that won't happen. There's bound to be a sequel. Better start preparing now, Mom and Dad."


	3. Chapter 3

2007

"Can we stop at the bookstore on the way home after school today?" Jenny asked her brother at breakfast. Unfortunately, it was his turn to drive. Since they both had their licenses, they took turns chauffeuring one another around in Phillip's old Buick. It was a 'boat,' but it was transportation.

"Sure," replied Matt. Then he suddenly figured out why his sister wanted to stop. "Wait, I've changed my mind. You just want to buy that vampire sequel, don't you. No way!"

"Come on, be nice to your sister," admonished Lee. "Remember, Phillip gave us his old car for the two of you to 'share,' remember? Besides, if you don't stop, I'll have to permit her to borrow the 'vette before you get a chance to." The twins had been constantly hounding their father about borrowing his prized car; he swore hell would freeze over before he permitted either one of them to drive it. There was an on-going battle over who would wear down their dad's defenses first.

That ended any further discussion. Matt would indeed stop at the bookstore, but he didn't have to be happy about it.

As Lee and Amanda drove to work, the conversation turned to the twins and the newly released sequel. Amanda had pre-ordered it, so she was already about halfway through the book. Jenny, of course, had no knowledge of this fact. Amanda was, after all, a spy and great at keeping secrets.

"You know that Jenny and Kate are going to try to gang up on us again, don't you Sweetheart," she commented to her husband.

"Oh, I know, Mrs. Stetson," he replied as he flashed his best dimpled smile. "How do you suggest we prepare?"

Amanda thought for a moment before responding. "This one's going to be tough. I know I'm not finished with the book, but I think there are a lot of things that will require knowledge of the Agency. We can't talk about those things in front of Kate. Phillip and Jaime might actually be able to help, though," she said thoughtfully.

"Well, we'll just have to be creative then," he replied as he brought her hand up to his lips for a quick kiss. He had all the faith in the world that his wife would somehow manage to defend the family without giving away 'all' of their secrets.

Three weeks later, everyone was ready for the now infamous discussion session. Jenny and Kate had both finished the book, as had Amanda. Lee was leaving it up to his wife this time; the last one had almost finished him off! But he knew, as the discussion night was determined, that he would have Phillip and Jaime on his side. Amanda had filled them in on the basics. And as his wife had reassured him, he was better off coming into this one with no prior knowledge. Did he trust her? You bet he did!

The Stetson dining room table was full that night as Phillip, Jaime, Kate, and Steven joined the usual four. Corinna and Nicole were having a much needed girls' night, to the chagrin of Phillip and Jaime. But the boys had decided long ago that they were extremely delighted that their wives got along so well—and that everyone seemed to really like Kate and Steven. Actually, they couldn't believe that their little sister had a boyfriend. Shy Jenny really had turned into a beautiful young woman. And between Lee and the two of them, they knew she would be well protected. Knowing how defensive Lee could be, they kind of pitied Steven. They were sure he had already gone through a pretty rough interrogation. After all, Lee knew all the best techniques!

Dinner conversation stayed light, as everyone just caught up on what had been going on in the past few weeks. While Phillip and Jaime talked to their mother just about every day, it was usually a quick call. More in-depth conversations were reserved for family dinners like this one.

Once coffee and dessert were brought into the family room, the topic and mood changed rapidly. Jenny wasn't about to let her parents fire the first shot.

"So Dad, did Mom make you read this sequel like she did the last one?" asked Jenny.

"Now wait a minute," Lee replied. "Your mother did NOT make me read the last one. I did that all on my own because I wanted to give your mother some support. And while I did complete the book, I can't say that I wasn't glad when I was finished. I just wasn't up to this one! Besides, your mom said it wasn't necessary for me to read it, and I trust her judgement." With this, he turned to her with a huge smile—and a slight blush.

"Your father's right. I never told him to read the last one. I was just as shocked as you when he told me that he had read the entire book. The only book I ever knew he read from cover to cover was THE WIZARD OF OZ," Amanda said with a wink to her gorgeous husband.

"Hey, hey—Just when did this turn into a 'pick on Lee' night?" he asked as he chuckled at the inside joke.

"Sorry, Mr. Stetson, Jenny's just a little nervous tonight. After all, you and your wife have 'won' the last two book discussions. I just think she's hoping to throw you off your game," explained Kate.

"Don't worry, Mr. Stetson," added Steven. "Matt and I are fed up with all this vampire stuff too, aren't we, Matt? In my opinion, the girls are going down tonight."

"If we know our mom," said Jaime with a nod to Phillip, "she will win. It's very, very unusual to get the best of her. That's one of the reasons we're so proud of her!"

Lee couldn't help but give her a quick kiss at that statement. He wholeheartedly agreed with his stepsons.

"I still don't understand this fascination with vampires one bit," commented Matt. "Can't the world just be normal—inhabited by regular human beings?"

"Matt, honey, I don't think vampires really enter into this discussion tonight. Nothing that happened in this book needs to be classified as 'vampire.' Everything can be discussed in the realm of human beings only. Hopefully that will make it a little easier for those of us that don't believe in them," Amanda reassured him. "I think the biggest issue in the book is that two people are in love with the same person. And both those people only want what is best for her. Sound like anyone we know?"

"Wow, it sure does. Jaime, do you remember your reaction when I first started dating your mom?" questioned Lee.

Jaime suddenly found his shoes very interesting. Quietly, he said "Yeah, I do, and it's not something I'm proud of. I didn't treat you very fairly, did I? Guess I just couldn't understand how Mom could love two people at the same time. I mean I always knew she loved Wormbrain over here as much as me, but you were different. Your relationship with Mom was different than mine and Phillip's. Guess I was just jealous."

"The two guys in the book certainly are that," stated Kate. "While the jealousy remains, they somehow seem to work things out. They know that each one can give her something that the other can't. Neither one can give her everything. She needs both to complete her."

"And that's exactly what happened here. I realized that Lee could give Mom what was missing in her life. Phillip and I tried to be there for her, but we were so young. With Dad gone in Africa most of the time . . . I finally realized that she needed someone other than Grandma and us kids to share her life."

"And I knew that she needed you, your brother, and your Grandma as much as she needed me," added Lee. "I wasn't trying to replace any of you; I was just trying to be there for your Mom too."

"Awww fellas, you're going to make me cry," Amanda added. "And just remember, when Matt came along, there was even another man in my life. After all, my other two boys where pretty much all grown up. Matt gave me another baby to take care of and love."

"Hey, what about me?" shouted Jenny.

"You, too, honey. Each person in this family gives me something different. And I need each and every one of you to make myself complete. And if you want to talk about jealousy, I think we need to mention your dad, fellas, don't you?"

"Yeah," agreed Phillip. "I wish he was still here with us. He would love this discussion. I know he would have a lot to add—especially about being jealous. I don't know if you realize it, Lee, but he was extremely jealous of you when you first started dating Mom. He tried to hide it from Jaime and me, but we could tell. He would get all defensive whenever we mentioned anything about you. When he would pick us up or bring us home, the steam would all but come out of his ears if he saw the 'vette parked at the house. I don't know if he really thought he could win Mom back, but the thought of someone else taking his place in Mom's heart was tough on him."

It was Lee's turn now. "Oh, I knew he was plenty jealous. And I was very jealous of him. After all, he was the first man to win your mom's heart."

"And remember what I said to you?" questioned Amanda. "I told you that I loved him, and that I would always love him. But I was in love with you. Each of you gave me something different, but something that I desperately needed. I think that pretty much sums up the relationship in the book, don't you girls?"

"It sure does," answered both girls at the same time.

Lee addressed his next comment to Phillip and Jaime. "You know, fellas, that your dad was jealous of my relationship with you, too, don't you? He wasn't at all sure that I wasn't going to replace him in your hearts. After the wedding, I was the one living with you 24/7. I was the one in your lives on a daily basis. He only saw you for a day or two each week. And he had been away before that for most of your short lives. He wasn't at all sure that you would still want to spend time with him. It was a little rough there for a while. Your mom and I had decided, early on, that your dad was to remain a very important part of your lives. But Joe didn't know that, and I think he really felt threatened."

"But you and Dad each gave us something different," remarked Jaime. "You gave us the male role model we needed on a daily basis, and Dad gave us the fun stuff. Sorry Lee, that didn't come out right. You gave us fun stuff, too, but . . . well . . . you know what I mean. And you both gave us unconditional love. That was the most important thing."

"And you took what you needed from both of them," added Amanda. "What one didn't or couldn't supply, the other one did. That's just how humans—or vampires—survive."

At this point, Steven felt that he needed to add to the debate. He addressed Lee and Amanda. "I don't know if you realize, but my parents are also divorced. Both have remarried, and I really do love both my stepmom and stepdad. So much of what this family has just said can be applied to my family, too. Each person provides for the others in his or her own way. There may be some jealousy; there may be some friction. But in the end, everyone wins."

"My parents aren't divorced, but my Grandpa lives with us since Grandma passed away last year," Kate added. "I know it was difficult at first, as Grandpa missed Grandma so much. Moving to a new house, with teenage kids, wasn't easy for him either. He and my dad got into a few arguments in the first few weeks—especially about who was going to do what for my mom. But once they established some basic rules, things have been going great. In fact, Mom says it's fantastic having TWO men to order around! Again, each one has his strengths, and each one adds something different to the family mix. We love them both, and they love us."

"So what do you say, ladies?" questioned Amanda. "Can we call this one a tie? I know we didn't get into the big battle that occurs in the book, but then that just isn't what this family is about." As she glanced around the room, her eyes dared anyone 'in the know' to challenge her last statement. All knew better than to say a word. Their lips were sealed. No need to bring down the wrath of Amanda on their heads!

"I guess," conceded Jenny. "Human beings just plain need each other to survive. Even vampires! Maybe I need to consider majoring in psychology in a few years; this discussion was kind of cool."

Everyone just chuckled at that statement. The entire room figured she would be majoring in photojournalism, just like her big brother. Guess only time would tell.

Lee and Amanda lay curled up on the couch after everyone else had either gone home or up to bed. "You know, Mr. Stetson, that there's a very important part of the book that I didn't bring up tonight."

"Yes, and I'm glad you didn't. Everyone got the message about no violence in this family. Didn't you see Phillip's expression? It was priceless. I almost choked!"

"I wasn't talking about the violence, sweetheart. I was referring to the fact that the heroine of the book was supposed to 'stay in the car' so to speak when the violence broke out. In fact, she was taken away to a secluded spot so that she wouldn't get hurt."

"And did she 'stay in the car'? Or was she like someone else I know?" Lee punctuated that last question with a kiss to his wife's cute nose.

"Really, Lee. Do you think any woman with half a brain would be content staying in the car when the man she loves is facing who knows what danger? And she did provide a much-needed distraction, just like that someone else has done many times."

"Oh, you provide a distraction all right," he commented as he covered her lips with his. With that kiss, all thoughts of books and vampires were gone from both their heads.


	4. Chapter 4

A/N I had initially wanted to include a reference all 88 episodes in this chapter, but I soon realized that it was not going to be possible-at least not if I didn't want to bore people. More importantly, at least not if I ever wanted to get this thing posted! Hope you enjoy!

2008

"Are you ready for tomorrow?" Lee questioned his wife as they crawled into bed.

"Well, the pies have been baked, the turkey is ready to be stuffed first thing in the morning, Mother and Captain Kurt are in charge of the Thanksgiving table decorations, Francine and Jonathan are bringing the drinks, Billy and Jeannie are bringing the hors d'oevres, Phillip and Corrina have the vegetables, and Jaime and Nicole made the sweet potato casserole. I think that about covers everything. It certainly is nice having friends and family that are willing to help out by bringing things. And it was genius for you to suggest that the Stones bring the drinks; we all know that Francine is a disaster in the kitchen!"

Just how had she managed to say all that in one breath? Even after 21 years of marriage, Lee still hadn't figured it out. "That's great, sweetheart, but I was actually talking about the book discussion that you know is going to happen tomorrow. The sequel has been out for almost a month. I can't believe Jenny hasn't cornered us earlier."

"Oh, she's talked to me. She seems to think that waiting until the whole family is together might make this easier on her. I think she's hoping that the other women will take her side, especially Aunt Francine and Aunt Jeannie. I also made sure that she realized that the discussion would be easier without Kate and Steven there. We won't have to worry about editing out Agency information. And as much as she and Matt would like to have their dates here, everyone realizes that this is time they need to spend with their families. Besides, they'll both be here tomorrow to go along on our Black Friday shopping excursion. I'm sure Jenny will fill Kate in with as many of the details as possible. You know those two are inseparable."

"I know. They've even applied to the same colleges. I always thought it would be Jenny and Matt that would go off to college together. But now I'm not so sure." Lee started to get a little misty-eyed at his 'little' ones going off to college next fall. Oh well . . . better enjoy them while he could. Just where had the past 18 years gone?

"Well, we had better get some sleep if we want to be on our toes for tomorrow, big fella. Just remember, I'm still going to need help in the morning with that huge bird. I don't know what we're going to do next Thanksgiving when we have two grandchildren to add to the crowd." Amanda snuggled next to Lee in perfect contentment. Both of their daughters-in-law were due any day, and she couldn't be happier. Two new little ones to babysit, spoil, and love!

Seven o'clock the next morning found Amanda up to her elbows in stuffing and bird. Luckily Dotty and Kurt arrived soon thereafter. While Dotty was slowing down a bit with age, she still knew her way around the kitchen! And with Lee and Kurt to lift the roaster into the oven, the bird was quickly dispatched to begin its journey to golden brown deliciousness.

"Time for coffee," exclaimed Dotty, as everyone quickly agreed. They all knew they would have several hours before the two teenagers pried themselves out of bed. And the rest weren't due to arrive till around noon.

Amanda had decided a few years ago that there were just too many people to seat at the dining room table. People were well accustomed to the buffet; everyone was just glad to be together on this special day. Phillip and Jaime were especially attentive to their wives this year. They remembered all too well how their mother had struggled through her pregnancy with the twins. They were seeing to it that both moms-to-be didn't have to lift a finger today.

"You two ladies look simply radiant," commented Francine as they were helping themselves to the delicious meal.

"Thanks," said Corrina. "I don't know about Nicole, but I am sooo ready to have this kid. I haven't been able to see my feet for the past two months. It's not so much discomfort-I'm simply tired of being pregnant."

"I know what you mean," added Nicole. "I know it's all worth it once the baby's here, but right now . . . "

"Hey, just remember-you're young and healthy. And you're only having one kid each. As Francine will confirm, I was huge with the twins. And being older, the doctors were quite worried about everything—my blood pressure, weight, early labor, etc. It certainly wasn't fun. Any woman that says she enjoyed being pregnant needs to have her head examined! At least that's the way I see it."

"I can second that," added Jeannie. "I don't think I enjoyed one day of either of my pregnancies. Morning sickness is so misnamed. I had morning, afternoon, evening, and night sickness. But you know, it is all worth it once you hold that little bundle of joy in your arms. I don't know how you did it, Amanda. Two?"

"It wasn't easy. But I did have lots and lots of help. If not for work, I don't think Lee would have left my side for a minute of the pregnancy. He wanted to wait on me hand and foot. And the boys and mother were a big help, too."

At that moment, Lee came over, took Amanda's hand in his, and kissed the back of it. "It was my pleasure, sweetheart. After all, I was the reason you were uncomfortable. While I was simply over the moon with delight at the prospect of becoming a father, I couldn't help but blame myself for all your discomfort. If anything had happened to you—or either of the babies—I don't think I could have lived with myself. That's why I didn't want you to have to do a thing! When we almost lost all three of you during delivery . . . well, let's just say it isn't one of my favorite memories."

"I'm sure it doesn't rate high on any of our lists," added Billy. "I thought the usually calm, cool, and collected Scarecrow here was going to implode. Luckily you got to the hospital when you did!"

"It was really touch and go there for a while. The babies weren't getting enough oxygen; Amanda's blood pressure kept dropping dangerously low. No one realized that she was bleeding internally. Dr. Cooper just knew something had to be done and done fast. The emergency C-section is what saved everyone. The babies were both blue when they came out. We didn't know for several hours if they were going to make it—yet alone if they would have any permanent damage from the oxygen deprivation. Once the babies were clear, he discovered that Amanda was hemorrhaging from a ruptured blood vessel. I don't think I've ever been as nervous and scared—not even when we were on the run during Stemwinder."

"Sweetheart, I think we need to change the subject. You're scaring the pregnant ladies here," Amanda said with a smile directed at her husband. "Besides, despite all the problems, I'd do it all over again in a heartbeat. That's what mothers do, you know."

"Don't worry, Amanda," said Nicole. "We know we're in for a rough ride, but that's what we signed up for. As you said, 'it's what mothers do.'"

As everyone settled down to their delicious dinners, the conversation shifted to Billy and Jeannie's upcoming 50th wedding anniversary. All their children and grandchildren were planning to descend on D.C. for the upcoming Christmas holiday in order to throw them a huge party on December 26, their actual anniversary. Everyone present at the Stetson household today had vowed they wouldn't miss the celebration for the world. Spies-or new babies-just weren't permitted to interfere!

"Jeannie, how did you ever put up with this old spy for all those years?" questioned Lee as he winked at Billy.

"My question is how have I put up with your making comments like that for the past 21 years," exclaimed Amanda as she gave him a swift kick in the shins. Everyone just chuckled.

"Don't be too hard on him, Amanda. I think he's referring to all the long hours, missed family events, phone calls in the middle of the night, etc. And that was just after I made section chief. I was still out in the field when we tied the knot, and I think that was worse. She was certainly more than understanding when it came to my job," stated Billy.

"It went from sleepless nights worrying about his safety to sleepless nights due to all the telephone calls. Sometimes I wondered if any of his agents could solve a case without calling at 2 a.m.," exclaimed Jeannie.

"Sorry about that," "I couldn't help it," and "Tended to forget what time it was," came from Lee, Amanda, and Francine simultaneously. They all knew they had cost Billy and Jeannie lots of sleep.

"I know you didn't do it on purpose, but sometimes I just wanted to take the phone off the hook for a month! Why do you think I pushed so hard to get him to retire ten years ago? You know, marriage is a hard enough adjustment. Then you throw anything else on top of it . . . the Agency, children, anything else, and it really takes a lot of work."

"And us 'non-Agency' types had to get used to the entire spy thing, right Jeannie?" questioned Jonathan. "It's like marrying into an additional family. A very wonderful family, but 'different.'"

"Hey, at least you knew what you were getting yourself into," exclaimed Dotty. "I found out that my daughter had been married for six months—shock enough—then she tells me that she and her husband are both spies—sorry, intelligence operatives. I nearly passed out. I mean I couldn't have asked for a more wonderful son-in-law, but you have to admit that things can get a little strange around here. I've learned over the years to just go with the flow, but there are times when I just have to close my eyes, count to ten, and forget what just happened."

Phillip and Jaime just nodded their heads in agreement. "Because we were just teenagers, we didn't realize everything that was going on with the Agency when Lee first came into our lives. But as we've matured, there are sure plenty of times that we just shake our heads and try to forget, right Jaime?" said Phillip.

"Absolutely," Jaime agreed.

"I'm sure I don't know a quarter of what has gone on in this family with regard to the Agency. And I'm not sure I want to know. But strange just seems normal to this family. It is what it is," commented Nicole.

"It's a different kind of family, but family nonetheless," Lee said with a smile. Everyone gave a hearty "here, here," to that statement!

"But you have to admit, we've had our share of crises," added Amanda. "Let's see . . . I guess it all starts with Lee handing me a package that day at the train station. After all, he was beaten, captured, and nearly killed."

"Then there's the Connie Beth case. You know, I kept studying that wedding ring the whole way back to the agency after the case wrapped up. Should have known then that the beautiful lady I recruited at the train station the week before would change my life forever." Lee took Amanda's hand and gave it a sweet kiss.

"Hey, don't forget that I saved you from killing Billy after you had been brainwashed. Thank goodness Lester the Duck and I got there in time! And I also remember refusing to leave you behind when you were shot while saving the dam in the Vigilant. That was a great piece of driving on my part, if I do say so myself," Amanda said with a smug smile.

"Yes, and you were a big help with Alexy. I just thank the powers that be that you weren't injured when Princess Penny's horse bolted. AND we got the bad guys. I'm just sorry you were mistaken for the Scarecrow and kidnapped while you were feeding my fish a few weeks later! Luckily I managed to get you back," commented Lee.

"Yeah . . . only after you committed treason," Amanda reminded him solemnly as she looked intently at her shoes.

He gently placed a finger under her chin and raised her head so that she was looking him in the eye. "Hey, you would have done the same thing for me, you know. And how could I have ever survived against the Russians on Christmas Eve 1983 without you? You truly saved the day."

"Only to have you fake your own death a few weeks later. Once I got over the fact that you were still alive, I was ready to kill you myself," Amanda said as she gave him a punch in the arm.

Francine quickly joined in with a punch to the other arm. "You were ready to kill him—I was left out in the loop much longer than you were. Scarecrow is really lucky the entire agency didn't gang up on him for that one."

"Sorry," exclaimed Billy. "It was a 'need to know' situation . . ."

"And we didn't need to know," said Amanda and Francine together as everyone laughed.

"Just like people didn't need to know about the bomb we disarmed with a 'Bomber's' pin. Or the dirty bomb taken care of by cutting the blue wire. And . . . sorry Dotty . . . the mixup with SKY CHIEF RIDES AGAIN . . . right Amanda," questioned Lee.

"Just how many trips to Europe did the Agency send you on during those early years, Amanda?" asked Dotty. "I seem to remember the entire family winning a contest and being sent to Munich, although I think that was just a cover—is that the right word, Lee?"

"That's the right word. And, yes, that one was a cover. We were trying to stop an assassination. But we were also in London once in search of the Mongoose and then again later to help Lord Bromfield out of quite a sticky mess. Then, of course, there's the times we were helping out Emily—the first time I think was in Austria, wasn't it?" questioned Lee.

"That it was," replied Amanda. "But then Emily ended up here a few months later to help us put Whitsig behind bars."

"Speaking of being behind bars . . . didn't Lee have to travel to Munich again to get you out of prison for passing counterfeit money?" questioned Francine.

"Oh, Francine, I'd rather forget out that one," exclaimed Amanda. "I just hated the fact that Lee had to come to my rescue after what was supposed to be a 'milk run.'"

"Thank goodness he's good at coming to the rescue," commented Billy. "Otherwise you would have been sold into white slavery while working that charity event. It wasn't even connected to the agency! Then there's the time you witnessed that murder when you were nominated for Mother of the Year. Sorry about all the problems, by the way. If it wasn't for the Agency, I'm sure you would have won, Amanda! But your charity work has helped us out on several occasions."

"Yeah, but there's one of those occasions I'd like to forget. I loved that Porsche." Amanda reached out and gave her husband's hand a gentle squeeze.

"You had a Porsche, Dad," exclaimed Matt. "Cool."

"Yeah, it was . . . that is until it ended up being driven off a cliff. Might have been able to save some of it, too, if it hadn't exploded at the bottom of the ravine. Not one of my better days," added Lee as he shook his head.

"If I remember right, Amanda and cars don't get along very well. Remember when Gino loaned her that fancy one out of the impound lot. It ended up as a cube of metal if I remember right," commented Francine.

"Just how many times did _our_ car end up in the body shop because of the Agency, anyway?" questioned Dotty. "It sure seemed like you were coming home with some kind of dent or scrape every week!"

"Well, Lee drove it through a bus stop shelter when he returned with the Barnstorm list on those contact lenses. By the way, I think that purple loaner from Leatherneck was the worst! But then there's all the other minor scrapes and dents; there are just too many to even think about," replied Amanda.

"At least the car was easily repaired. It's scary to think about all the close calls Lee and Amanda have had with bullets," said Billy. "People aren't always so easy to fix!"

"Especially when they take a bullet in the chest, right Amanda?" questioned Lee as he was remembering their ill-fated honeymoon. He had to fight back tears, even over twenty years later.

"Hey, but everything turned out all right. And it wasn't your fault, Sweetheart. Remember, it had nothing to do with the Agency."

"I know, but I seem to remember another case that was entirely my fault. If my aim had been off by even a half-inch . . . "

"You mean if you hadn't had the instinct to pretend to shoot me, Brackin would have killed both of us, and you know it. After all these year, you still can't stop blaming yourself for that one, can you? No harm, no foul. At least the sweater wasn't one of my favorites," said Amanda as she tried to lighten the mood.

"And that's just SOME of the stuff that happened BEFORE everyone knew you were married—actually most of that was before you even became a couple," Billy reminded them. "We could go on and on, but there's really only one point that everyone needs to be reminded of-we always seem to be able to come out on top. Granted, sometimes it isn't exactly the outcome we would like, but the good guys prevail."

"Thank goodness they do," confirmed Captain Kurt, as everyone in the room quickly nodded their heads.

As Amanda was finishing up in the kitchen that evening, Lee came up from behind and wrapped his arms around her, giving her a loving squeeze. "You're slipping," he reminded his wife. "I'm not used to being able to sneak up on you like that."

"Oh, don't flatter yourself, Stetson. I heard you the minute you entered the room. I just wanted to see if you wanted to snuggle with me or if you were just after some of the leftover pumpkin pie," she said as she elbowed him gently in the stomach.

"Careful there, sweetheart. Too hard a hit and you just might permanently injure me. There's just too much food in my stomach for you to be doing that! I think I ate enough for four people today. But everything was just so tasty."

"You mean you don't have room for more dessert," she said as she leered at him over her shoulder.

"Now I didn't say that," he said as he wiggled his eyebrows.

"I really don't want to change the subject, but what's with Jenny today. She didn't mention the book or vampires all day. I can't believe she forgot about them. She's been planning to challenge us for a few weeks now."

"Well, I believe we beat her to the punch. Remember when I was talking with Corinna and Nicole about the babies? I also made sure she knew how complicated and scary her—and her brother's—birth was. That's actually the first half of the book. I don't think she realized how close we were to losing Matt and her. After we were through talking about everything, I think she realized she was beaten on that point so she didn't even try."

"And everyone agreed that things in this family can be pretty unbelievable at times," she added. "That's a big part of the book, too. What with vampires and werewolves, it's hard for the 'normal' people in the book to believe what they see!"

"Ok, I think I understand," said Lee. "But what was the case-by-case rundown about?

"Believe it or not, the second half of the book is pretty much just one big fight between the two vampire groups. Anyone in this family should realize that's what we do for a living."

"Wait a minute . . . we're not always fighting! And I wouldn't exactly call it that. We just tend to disagree with the other side. Sometimes it comes to blows, but usually things can be settled diplomatically."

"Mr. Stetson, I believe you have just described the second half of the book. There was some violence, but mostly the other side was made to see that their way of thinking was wrong. Diplomacy was used to insure a peaceful settlement for everyone involved."

"So, Mrs. Stetson, you believe Jenny caught that point too? And she's not going to challenge us tomorrow? You know it would be very difficult to prove these points in front of Kate."

"Honestly, Mr. Stetson, I don't think we have a thing to worry about," Amanda said with a smile and a kiss to his cheek.

When Kate arrived at the house the next day for their shopping trip, she quickly cornered Jenny. What neither girl realized is that Amanda and Lee were doing a little surveillance in the next room.

"So how did it go yesterday?" questioned Kate. "Remember, you promised to fill me in. Did you win the argument this time?"

"I didn't even bring up the topic," said Jenny quietly.

"What do you mean," shouted Kate. "I thought you were all set to finally get the better of your parents."

"Shh . . . I don't want them to hear. It's just better if we both let the topic drop. Let's just say that my parents/family won again. I'm beginning to believe that real life can indeed be better than fiction—even when that fiction is as fantastic as the four books we've read. Let's both hope our lives turn out to be as exciting, interesting, and full of love as my parents' have been!"

Lee and Amanda just shook their heads and smiled at one another. Maybe their daughter was beginning to see the light after all. Real life in the West/King/Stetson household wasn't always easy, but it was exciting and interesting—even if most of the world didn't know. As for being full of love, well anyone could see the truth in that statement. All they had to do was take one look at Mr. and Mrs. Stetson!


End file.
